Book reports can be fun, or they can be an opportunity to encourage students’ creativity and get students excited about sharing what they’re reading! When students complete book reports, they should demonstrate their understanding of the text and share their opinions about it. The challenge for teachers is to connect the old book report format with today’s students. That’s where our Timeline Letter Report template comes in.
How to Use the Time Capsule Book Report Template
This book report template is perfect if students are reading a character-driven story, which most novels for elementary school children are. As you read the novel with your students, instead of making character maps, use an organizing sheet to capture information about the characters. Think: What things are important to Opal Because of Winn-Dixie? Whatever things Esperanza will keep Esperanza Rising?
Here are a few ways to teach with the Time Capsule Book Report sheet:
- Focus on the topic. You can focus students’ thinking on the theme of the book by having students choose a theme and choose materials to make a time capsule that reflects that theme. For example, a student who focuses on the topic of “friendship” while reading Charlotte’s website may identify a different time college choice for Wilbur than a student focused on the theme of “change.”
- Create time capsules. Don’t stop at the writing part—ask students to create or collect things that their character will collect. Then, reserve them for future classes.
- Start your time capsule. Use the Time Capsule Book Report to start or end the year by creating your own time capsule. After completing their character’s time capsule, students will understand what it means to make certain choices for their time.
Check out more Time Capsule Ideas (free printable).
What’s included in the Time Capsule Printable
Why Teachers Love Time Capsule Book Report
This book report template gets students thinking about character development and theme without hard lessons or questions. And because the book report template is open, students can have rich conversations as they put their time capsules together.
Why Students Love Time Capsule Book Report
This format encourages readers to think deeply about a character and pay attention to details in a way they haven’t before. They also like creative opportunities and projects.
Get free Time Capsule Book Report worksheets!
Ask students to use these worksheets to complete their next book report.
